Category Archives: Monthly Updates

Possumwood had 10 rescues in November -a bit quieter than the previous month with 20 rescues. Steve was called to help a 20 kg Eastern grey (EG) kangaroo hit on the Kings highway. I met him as I was returning from the wildlife vet -Dr Howard Ralph at about midnight. Unfortunately this animal did not survive the night but at least he was safe and comfortable with analgesia, sedation and a soft, warm bed.

Benice -a helper at Possumwood dreads full moon as this is when in good weather the animals are more active and are injured on the roads. She had already moved five EGs off the road on the Federal Highway when she found a little 900g furless joey in one of the females pouches. It was Melbourne Cup Day and we named him Rafke after the poor brave horse who died as a result of that race. Rafke is doing very well. On her way home again that night at about midnight Benice rescued another poor MVA victim lying on the road on the Federal Highway. She was about 15 kg and also was brought back to Possumwood but did not survive the night.

Sophie was the next little joey to come into care. Another MVA orphan, her mother had severe injuries. Sophie was lucky that the ACT ranger who rescued her was one of the kind ones who will call a rescuer rather than bash or behead the orphan joeys as is the usual practice in the ACT. This practice is sanctioned by the Minister for Municipal Services – the only Greens MP in the ACT.

Donnelly-a 6 kg EG joey was rescued by Steve from a fence – hanging by one leg. Luckily his hip was not dislocated but we have concerns regarding the ischaemic injury to his foot. A sad little joey he would often call his mother when he first arrived.

Martin – an 8 kg EG joey was rescued from a fence by Steve and Rosemary. Hanging by one leg on a very hot day he was lucky he had tree shelter. Martin is a very gentle, quiet boy who loves his bottles of formula.

Jimmy was rescued by Benice and named after Steve’s father as he arrived on his birthday. A 900 g EG joey he was also a MVA orphan.

Rodger raven was run over -straddled – by five cars before I could get him off the road. I was again on my way home from the vet on the Kings Highway not far from Possumwood. We kept Rodger quiet in a large cage overnight. Next morning Rodger was creating so much noise and commotion trying to get out when all the other birds came in for food and water very early that we said bye -bye Rodger and let him out. He gleefully flew away.

Tiny Terry turtle was also rescued near Possumwood. He was trying to cross a busy road. Again I was able to get him off the road before he was crushed. He was uninjured and with great gusto ran down the bank and plunged into the water in the large dam at Possumwood .

Cassandra – another MVA orphan, was rescued by Benice. A beautiful 800 g female EG joey, Cassandra had an injury at the tarsometatarsal joint and the pull of the Achilles tendon was causing deformity of the calcaneus. The ankle was strapped to counteract the pull of the Achilles and she saw Dr Ralph the next day and her ankle was splinted. She is doing well.

India was a 700g orphaned swamp wallaby. Everyone loved India, but as she grew bigger she became very agile and naughty. She would jump on benches to steal teabags, fruit, muesli, nuts, etc. She chewed telephone cables, television aerial wiring, and left poo where she shouldn’t. Rosemary wanted her to stay forever, but she needed to be free and was released into a beautiful bush area and has been seen often with her most recent joey.

Dennis was a 25kg male wombat rescued on a freezing cold winter’s day. He was in a debilitated state with severe, deep and badly infected bite wounds, emaciated and suffering from hypothermia. The stress of his ordeal resulted in him developing symptoms of mange. His wounds took a long time to heal. He however made an excellent recovery. He was a friendly and gentle wombat and was released back to the wild after being in care for six months.He was so handsome when recovered that he featured in the local yearly wombat calendar.

George is a lucky kangaroo. A member of the public stopped by the side of the road in the ACT and noticed movement in the pouch of a dead female kangaroo. Following instructions over the phone the member of the public was able to reach into the pouch and safely extract George who was only 500 grams and furless( called a pinkie).

He was transported across the border into safe care in NSW away from likely death at the hands of the ACT Government(orphan kangaroo joeys are bashed or beheaded in the ACT). George is now a very affectionate adolescent who is due for release with his friends in a safe place .

Hope was a 6kg kangaroo that was caught in a wire fence. She had a compound fracture of one of the metatarsal bones which was pinned and splinted.
It has taken a long time for the wound to heal. Fence injury wounds are usually severe because of ischaemic damage. She adopted one of the older in care females -Ellie- as her mother is now hopping well . She will be released with her friends at a safe release site .

Tammy had been lying near a farm dam for three days without her mother before being brought into care. She was 5kg and had pelvic fractures and a deep laceration to her ankle involving an ankle ligament. She was unable to stand and was very dehydrated.

Danny was a 5kg joey rescued from inside his dead mother’s pouch. He had been fending off an attack from a fox when rescued. The fox had begun to tear at the mother’s pouch to get to the joey. Danny was highly stressed and agitated when brought to our recovery centre by a rescuer. He had no injuries but the rescuer had considerable difficulty in getting Danny out of his dead mother’s pouch.

Both Tammy and Danny had suffered Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but with the correct medication and lots of one-on-one attention from their carer they have recovered and are now inseparable.

Crackles was a 5kg kangaroo joey who was found alone in a paddock being attacked by a fox (28 October, 2013). He suffered fractured ribs, severe abdominal bruising and extensive puncture wounds to head, neck and back. From his injuries Crackles developed subcutaneous emphysema, a potentially fatal situation where air increasingly occupies space under the skin. The veterinarian believed his prognosis was poor.

Dr Who was a 5kg at-heel joey who was rescued in suburbia in a highly stressed state without his mother. We do not know what became of his mother. He was not injured but highly stressed, would not settle and would destructively throw himself around his environment.

Both Crackles and Dr Who suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and with a lot of one-on-one care and medication have recovered and are now good friends.

Flossy was a tiny furless wombat when rescued from the pouch of her dead mother. She was raised with another larger wombat named Zany. Flossy disguised her quiet nature with loud screaming which made her seem more fierce than she really was. She has never been aggressive.

Flossy was able to ‘talk’ to her carers at feed time and when transported to her final release site. When she emerged from her carry cage at her new home it was the first time she appeared lost for words. She quickly made herself comfortable in her new burrow and went to sleep. She will do well in her new home in the Blue Mountains National Park.

Swimmer is a very old male swamp wallaby. During the extended dry period in Summer he got himself caught in a swimming pool fence in a backyard in Bungendore.

He spent a whole night caught in a very awkward position and as a result developed pressure sores on his thigh and leg and had foot drop due to a nerve injury. He required a splint because of his foot drop and it has taken several months for the pressure sores to heal.

He has a whole recovery room to himself and enjoys his daily bowl of fruit and brush. His weight has improved as has his fur and skin.

Everybody loves Racquet and Racquet loves everybody. He was found on the side of road with a severe head injury and fractured jaw, severely dehydrated, semi-conscious and covered in maggot eggs. He was 15 kg and was brought to us around midnight last summer . The vet thought his prognosis was poor. Because of his fractured jaw he had to be syringe fed for several months. He had vertigo for a number of weeks.

Racquet is a very ‘laid -back ‘kind of kangaroo – the Fonz of the kangaroo world . He loves cuddles ,loves the girls , loves everybody.Whenever things seem tough a cuddle from Racquet is guaranteed to make the world seem brighter .